


Thug Workout

by Welcome_to_yesterday



Series: FakeAh AU's [2]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Fake AH Crew, Female Jack Pattillo, Multi, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-11 13:51:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13525614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Welcome_to_yesterday/pseuds/Welcome_to_yesterday
Summary: Trevor's just a simple bar tender at a crappy bar that the Fake AH Crew tend to favour.They started as the highlight of his week. Now they're the highlight of his life.Some more than others.





	1. Chapter 1

The lights in the bar were low, soft neon hues from various tacky signs on the walls making, what Trevor’s boss called, an aesthetic. Although it was a Friday night, many seats were empty and those that went had their occupants passed out. It wasn’t exactly a popular bar by any means, in fact the highest attendance they got was the girl groups out on bachelorette parties with a low budget. 

 

As Trevor cleaned up the few glasses scattered on the bar from its sleeping customer, he glanced at his watch with a sigh. It was barely even midnight and he could already tell it was going to be a long night. He was the only staff member in the bar that night, his co-worker tucked away in the back room watching Netflix, and so all Trevor could do was stack away the glasses then drag a bar stool behind the bar and sit himself down.

 

He had only been scrolling through his phone for about ten minutes when the door was pushed open to the sound of loud chatter and laughter. Glancing up, Trevor smiled at the sight of his usual customers. The group of 8 turned up every Friday without fail at midnight, and Trevor wold admit that it was the highlight of his week. 

“Aye, Treyco!” the jersey accent rang out through the room, causing Trevor to stand so quickly that the stool slammed to the ground behind him.

“Shit,” the boy mumbled, scrambling to stand it back up. When he resurfaced, the group was crowded around the bar all smiling at him.

“Everything okay, Trevor? Or are you just so happy to see us?” it was a British voice that teased him, the bartender just nodding.

“Uh, yeah. It was quiet until you guys turned up. Usuals?” Trevor questioned the group, willing to change the subject as quick as he could. He did not want to get on the wrong side of these people.

With a response of nods, Trevor began mixing up drinks of various kinds, surprised he could remember all these orders and yet still fail his college exams.   
The drinks were handed to each person, them thanking him in turn. And then conversations sparked. Trevor, by now, knew each of them by name and more due to the amount they loved talking to him. Gavin and Michael teased him a lot until Michael had a bit too much and found his way to Lindsay. Gavin would then complain and latch himself to Jeremy, who did not take too kindly to it and try to pass him off the Geoff. Geoff would talk mostly with Jack, flirting with her too. But by the rings on their fingers, Trevor could only awe at their relationship. Jeremy spoke a lot with Alfredo, most work talk. Lots of chats about guns and knife and various other weapons Trevor had never even heard of. And Ryan. Ryan would sit silently at the end of the bar. He’d sip on his glass of soda and just observe. Until tonight.

 

“You’re in college, right?” 

 

The question came as a small shock to Trevor, firstly for the fact that it was a voice he hadn’t heard before. But with the way Ryan was looking at him, he could only assume it came from him. The others never really asked about him, Trevor didn’t mind though as he was too busy ogling in awe at all their stories. But with the others distracted with alcohol or by each other, Trevor stepped closer to Ryan and cleared his throat.

“Uh, yeah, I am. I’m just in the middle of my fourth year now,” he replied.

“What do you want to do when you leave?” Ryan’s question was quick, his eyes cold towards the boy and his facepaint still prominent. 

“When I leave? I was just gonna either keep working here or take a place at my mom’s office. Pretty sure she’s got an opening,” he mumbled, picking up a half empty glass and starting to clean it. 

“No, I asked what you want to do, not what you are doing,” Ryan said, and Trevor seemed to freeze. That was a fucking good question. What did he want to do? As Trevor began to get lost in his own mind, over thinking his future way more than any 21-year-old should, Ryan spoke again. “Okay, let me make this easier on you. What do you like to do now? And what are you good at?” 

“Well, I like painting. Kinda obvious since I’m taking an art course. And, uh, video games are cool too. Although, besides that, I’m not exactly good at things,” he confessed, starting to feel a little sheepish. Ryan wasn’t exactly the friendliest looking guy and the way he was speaking wasn’t making Trevor any less uncomfortable.

“I doubt that, Trevor. I mean, you’re handling a bar on your own. That’s a lot of responsibility. Quiet or not, that takes some form of organisation, charisma, and patience.”  
A smile came on to Trevor’s lips. Yeah, maybe Ryan was right. Maybe Trevor was charismatic, and patient, and whatever else he said.

“Tell me this, Trevor, if I offered you a job, what would you say? It wouldn’t be anything major at first, think of it like an internship, but you’d be able to work your way up to higher ranks.”

Trevor’s mouth dropped open and uttered, “holy shit.” Ryan’s face finally showed an emotion. Happiness.

“I’ll take that as a yes. I’ll talk to Geoff about it more tomorrow morning but by next Friday, you should be part of the Fakes,” Ryan confirmed, and Trevor felt almost queasy. Whether it was with joy, fear, or excitement, he didn’t know. But he didn’t care.

Trevor Collins had just been accepted into the Fake AH Crew by the mother fucking Vagabond.


	2. Chapter 2

“Shit, shit, shit,” Trevor was battling against the midday crowds of the campus, balancing papers and books in his arms as he mentally regretted ever trying for two degrees. He’d received a text towards the end of his class, from Ryan, telling him to meet at a coffee shop near the college. And Trevor had never wanted to leave a class more. 

He pushed his way through the floods of people, targeting the gates of the campus like he was a bull and they were a red flag. Passing through the gates was like stepping into a whole other dimension, with quiet streets and the only noise now behind him. 

Trevor slumped against a wall to catch his breath and shove his things into his backpack before heading towards the coffee shop. He’d been there before; his friend Mica having dragged him there under the pretence of “the best iced caramel macchiato ever.” She was a liar. It was mediocre at best and Trevor mentally slapped himself for even judging a coffee. It was a damn coffee, not an Oscar nomination. 

Either way, he remembered it being quiet and it still seemed to be as he stepped inside and glanced around. And then it hit him. Ryan wouldn’t look like he does at the bar. No face paint, no leather jacket, no cold eyes. And so, Trevor stood frozen in the doorway, unsure of what to do. When suddenly, a hand clapped him on the back.

“There you are, Trevor,” the accent was terribly southern, and Trevor didn’t even have time to turn and see who the hell it was before a hand in the small of his back pushed him towards a beaten-up couch in the corner.

Trevor dropped himself on to the cushions, rubbing at his knee that had been violated by the stupidly sharp coffee table, then allowed himself to look up to the man. Before him stood what looked like a dad. Just a normal guy that could’ve been meeting his son for a catch up. But Trevor recognised the sandy hair and icy blue eyes anywhere, yet the twinkle in them was foreign.

“One white coffee and one hot chocolate please, Caleb,” he called over to the counter and dropped himself into the armchair then lowered his voice. “it comes in handy having one of your old co-workers own a business. Nice place to hang out,” he said then sent a wink to Trevor.

And then it clicked. That Caleb guy must’ve been a Fake at some point. And now, he just owned a coffee shop but let the guys relax here without worries. Just like how they did at the bar.

“How did you know I liked white coffee?” Trevor asked, taking off his backpack and dropping it to the floor. Ryan just chuckled.

“Lucky guess. I’m serious,” and there was that smile again. All the anxiety that had burned in Trevor’s gut seemed to vanish at the sight of that grin. “Anyways, how was class? You look pretty clean for an art student.”

“Oh, I didn’t have art today. Just law,” he said and the made Ryan stifle back laughter.

“Hold on, you’re taking law? Why on earth would you do that?” he questioned, and Trevor glanced at his feet, feeling his face heat up from embarrassment.

“I, uh, got a scholarship for art after I got on to the law course. For some stupid reason, they let me do both,” Trevor explained meekly, which just made Ryan raise his brow.

“But you said you liked and art and you’re good at it so why would you pick to do a law course over an art one?” 

Before Trevor could reply, a scraggly looking guy brought their drinks over, pushing his glasses back up his nose and his long hair out of his face after bending to the table.

Reading his name tag, Trevor learnt he was called Matt. He did look like a Matt. Studying his face, Trevor let his eyes scan over him before he walked away, and Ryan pulled him back to normality.

“My parents,” he mumbled, taking a sip of his too hot drink to not have to talk further, but the look on Ryan’s face pushed him to do so. “They’re both lawyers and I’m a smart kid so they wanted me to do the same. I have an older brother who became a surgeon and a sister that’s off in Africa saving starving kids. Meanwhile, I wanted to spend my life painting.”

The hand on his knee was warm, comforting, a sense of support that Trevor hadn’t felt in a while. 

“Well, you don’t have to worry abut any of that now. It’s official. You’re one of us. You’ll help us out with general stuff, and hopefully get files organised. You can spend free time doing art and we won’t waste your smarts,”

“You guys are being so nice. Like, I’m just a random kid that serves you drinks,”

“Yeah, maybe you are. But you serve us drinks without questioning us. You listen to our stories and don’t judge. You welcomed us into your space and allowed us a place to relax. And now we’re doing the same to you. Now c’mon,” Ryan stood and grabbed his drink, “let’s head to the base and I can show you around.”

Trevor was quick to grab his own drink and bag, following Ryan like a little puppy dog and he was bouncing like one too. 

The walk to the base was rather pleasant, the two sharing more things about each other. It was mostly Ryan asking and Trevor answering, but Trevor liked it that way. Plus, he doubted a murdering psychopath would want to share to much about himself. However, he also thought a murdering psychopath would never wear a dad style baseball cap, yet he was. 

When they reached their destination, it wasn’t exactly being Trevor has expected. He was imagining a dusty warehouse or intense armoury. Instead, he was stood outside a tower of a building with a sleek and modern design. He would admit that it blended in with the city well though.

Ryan guided him through the lobby, greeting the receptionist (Trevor couldn’t believe they had a fucking receptionist), and heading to the elevator. The swipe of a pass had the doors opening and they stood side by side as it travelled higher and higher.

“Now, I will warn you that Geoff and Jack are having a moment today. For some ungodly reason, they woke up hating each other. So, if you see either of them holding something, be ready to duck,” Ryan warned, Trevor’s eyes wide as the doors slid open to a small corridor. 

“Thanks, I guess,” he mumbled as Ryan unlocked the door to the penthouse. Yelling was immediately heard, and an object flew past the doorway. 

“Hey, boss! Might want to act professional in front of the new recruit,” Ryan called into the penthouse and ushered Trevor inside. 

The boy froze, yet again, as all eyes turned to him. He felt like the gazes were burning into his skin, his mouth opening to speak yet no words coming out. Then he felt the hand again. This time two. One sat on his shoulder, the other resting on his hip.

“Now, we all know Trevor. And I expect you treat him with the same respect, if not more, than you would at the bar. Remember, he’s here to help us but under my employment. So, don’t be assholes,” Ryan said, his fingers rubbing gentle circles into Trevor’s hip. When the others resumed whatever they were doing, Ryan lead Trevor to the kitchen and pulled out a chair. 

“You can drop your bag here for now and I’ll show you around the place,” he said, to which Trevor did so. “I hope you didn’t mind what I did just then on your hip. Like if it made you uncomfortable, lemme know and I won’t do it again. You just seemed tense and it used to work for a friend, so I figured…”  
Trevor cut him off, “It was fine. Really, it was. I’d even go as far to say it was nice.”

“Glad I didn’t creep you out. Anyways, tour?” he said and gestured to another door before taking a bow. 

With a chuckle, Trevor nodded then curtsied. “I’d be delighted.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos are always appreciated

“Welcome to your new home, Treyco,” Michael announced with a grin, his arms gesturing rather exaggeratedly to the ramshackle desk that was now situated in Gavin’s office.  
Well, Gavin’s old office. It was once previously a simultaneous tech and file room, back when the golden boy worked solely from his beaten-up laptop. However, grand heists with big rewards allowed him to largely upgrade his equipment and was out of there in a week. 

Trevor squinted his eyes at the desk, if he could even call it that. It was more like a slab of wood a top of two smaller filing cabinets. His hesitation prompted Michael to near the desk and tug out the chair, its metal legs scraping horrendously across the tile floor.

“Uh, thanks, I guess,” Trevor mumbled, cautiously walking around and dropping himself into the seat. Michael’s hands were quick to push him right up against the desk, the wood cutting harshly into his stomach.

“Hope you settle in well. Geoff said that your first job is to organise all these files. Good fucking luck,” the smug look on Michael’s face made Trevor realise that if they had pulled straws, he’d have the short one. And, before he could throw his own words back at Michael, the redhead was gone, and the door was slammed shut.

Trevor looked around himself, craning his neck to peer at the cabinets of files along with the numerous piles of records that towered over him, and heaved a sigh as he stood from the chair. The table seemed to move as he did so, his hand going to steady the “furniture” before approaching the first cabinet.

After he got started, Trevor realised that the task wasn’t as boring as it could be. It was a room full of criminals and their records for god’s sake, who couldn’t be entertained reading through all that? It was only when the door cracked open and Ryan stepped inside that Trevor finally pulled his head out of his current file.

“You seem to be having fun there,” Ryan chuckled, placing two plates, each with a sandwich, on the desk. “I hope you don’t mind if I join you. We just finished a set up and the lads have too much adrenaline coursing through them.”

“It’s no problem,” Trevor said with a smile as he pointed to the second chair in the room. To see Ryan with his face paint on again gave the boy a sense of familiarity, one that came to surprise him. Ryan used to scare him the most yet now he was the most comfortable around him.  
Ryan dragged over the chair then pushed one plate towards the younger male, peering at his current file.

“What you got there? Anything interesting?” he wondered aloud, watching as Trevor eagerly grabbed his sandwich and took a bite.

“Just a person file. About some guy called the Risemonger. He ain’t too bad,” Trevor spoke with his mouth full of food, glad to finally have something in his stomach. He hadn’t even realised how hungry he was.

“Ain’t too bad? In what ways?” Ryan pushed with a hint of a smirk, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out a set of face wipes.

“Oh, uh, just the fact that he hasn’t really done any major crimes,” Trevor mumbled, remembering to finish eating this time before he spoke.

“You sure you weren’t on about his looks? I’ll admit it myself, Jon is a great looking guy. And those pictures don’t even do him justice.”

Trevor almost choked on his sandwich, the wet lump of bread, peanut butter and jelly hitting the plate and causing Ryan to raise a brow, a brow that was now visible as the wipes cleaned his face.

“Well, uh, I dunno, maybe,” Trevor rubbed at the back of his neck as he placed his sandwich down, strongly avoiding the mess he’d made. Ryan was quick to notice the blush, even in the dim lighting, and Trevor felt the heat in his cheeks, unsubtlety bringing up his hands to cover it.

“Sorry, was I a little forward? I only meant to tease, not make you choke on you sandwich,” Ryan muttered, voice sincere as he dropped the first dirty wipe and glanced to Trevor.  
The paint, although mostly gone from the right side of his face, was still smeared across the left as he grabbed for anther wipe.

“Yeah, just a little,” Trevor stared down at his plate before reluctantly picking up his mess and dropping it into the trash can pushed to the side. 

“Well, I apologise. Unlike some of the others, I’m man enough to know when I’ve made a mistake,” he said rather proudly, and it was now Trevor’s turn to raise a brow. But before he could question what Ryan meant, shouting began from the other side of the door and Ryan rolled his eyes. 

He pushed himself from his chair and strode to the door, opening it with a glare set on his face. With the door wide open, Trevor watched as the wrestling figures of Jeremy and Michael froze. They untangled themselves from each other and stood like scolded children, staring at their feet until Ryan straightened his back and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Care to explain why you two were wrestling in the hallway?” Ryan’s voice was rather demanding, seeming like he’d slipped back into the Vagabond a little to scare the truth out of the lads. 

The both of them immediately began to babble out excuses, Trevor catching mere snippets. Something about Jeremy getting called short stack which resulted in him throwing an insult at Michael and Trevor could only guess that it escalated until the two started a full-on fight.

Ryan raised his hand and they silenced, but his words were barely eligible to Trevor as he whispered what seemed like a threat to Jeremy and Michael, who eagerly scurried away. The older male returned into the office and dropped into the same chair, finally taking a bite of his own sandwich. 

“I feel like I’ll murder those two, one day,” he muttered and resumed on cleaning his face. 

“They do that a lot?” Trevor questioned, peering at the closed door then glancing to Ryan.

“Sadly, yes. I suggest you either get used to the shouting or toughen up enough to tell them to quit it,” the wipe was dropped with the other and Ryan’s face was finally clean.

“I’ll take that into account,” he mumbled, head snapping to the side as a stack of files slid from a cabinet and hit the floor with a thud.

“And I’ll take that as my cue to leave,” Ryan stood with a smile and picked up his plate, heading for the door. “Oh, and if I don’t see you out of this room by dinner, then I’ll you drag you out of here myself. Jack is making her spaghetti and you do not want to miss.”

Trevor could only wave goodbye before the door closed behind Ryan and he was left alone again. He was quick to finish his food and buried himself back into the files, letting time fly.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos are always appreciated

Another file was dropped on to the growing piles scattered about the room, each being for a letter as Trevor had ultimately decided to organise this mess alphabetically. The file collected with the others categorised under “D” were pushed aside by Trevor’s sneaker as he returned to the filing cabinets. The first one was now significantly empty, and Trevor smiled proudly as he shoved the empty drawer closed and crouched to reach the bottom one. His hand wrapped around a few but the brunette released his grip as his name was called from the doorway.

“Hm?” he questioned, turning and peering over the desk to see Ryan stood in the doorway, the better lighting from the hallway causing his shadow to loom into the room.

“I said I'd come get you for dinner,” he reminded the boy and Trevor’s eyes sparked slightly before he nodded enthusiastically as he remembered.

“Yeah, okay, gimme a minute,” Trevor mumbled, reluctantly pushing the drawer closed again. His body ache as he stretched himself back to his feet, brushing off his jeans and making his way towards Ryan.

The elder lead him out of the room, Trevor making sure to lock it behind himself as there was no way he was having anyone ruin his hard work. They walked down the corridor together, Trevor recognising the living room and kitchen as they walked through but didn’t recognise their destination. 

The dining room was large, about the size of kitchen, perhaps bigger even. In the middle sat a grand table, one that was more suited for a millionaires’ mansion, but Geoff was proudly at the head of the table as if it was exactly where it was supposed to be. There was an empty seat on either side of Geoff, the left one also next to Jeremy, who was waiting rather too eagerly for his food. He looked like a puppy dog begging for a treat. Opposite Jeremy and next to the seat right of Geoff was another empty chair. Next to Jeremy was Alfredo, Gavin at the head opposite Geoff, and Michael on Gavin’s other side. 

Ryan ushered Trevor towards the table, taking his seat next to Geoff and offering Trevor the empty seat between himself and Michael. Without a word, having begun to feel a little shy, Trevor dropped himself into the chair and stared at the array of food on the table. Plain spaghetti was already being passed around the table, some of the lads already taking slices of the garlic bread. 

However, the strong smell of mince and tomato flooded the air as Jack entered the room, a large steaming pot in her arms. She placed it in the middle of the table with pride, taking the final seat next to Geoff as the older few watched the lads hungrily dive for the food. 

“Smells and looks amazing, babe. As always,” Geoff complimented the redhead, a soft rose dusting her cheeks as he leaned in and pecked a kiss to her skin.

“Oh, Geoff, stop,” she mumbled placing her hand over his.

Once the younger end of the table had their share, Trevor took his own food and then passed it down to Ryan.

“Y’know, I’m glad that you joined the crew, Trevor,” Ryan spoke, ignoring the general chatter around the table. “The amount of weight that has been taken off all of us is crazy.”

“Wait, seriously?”

“Of course. Welcome to the family, Trevor. We’re a pretty dysfunctional one but we still have each other’s backs no matter what,” Ryan made his point, finishing his sentence by swiftly filling his mouth with spaghetti and Trevor took that as a sign to join them and eat.

And Trevor would’ve happily admitted that the food was amazing, positive that everyone else would agree as by the end of the meal every plate was clean. As Jack began to gather plates, Trevor scooped up his own, Ryan’s, and Michael’s to join Jack in the kitchen.

“Oh, Trevor, you don’t need to help,” Jack said with a chuckle, taking the plates from him.

“C’mon, it’s the least I can do, Jack. You made the meal, let me clean the dishes at least,” he pleaded, wanting to thank the woman. And it wasn’t hard for her to cave in.

“Fine, but only because you have the cutest puppy dog eyes,” she cooed, pinching his cheek briefly. “I’ll send Ryan in to help though. About time his ass cleaned up rather than making a mess.”

Trevor was quick to find a scrubbing brush, filling the sink with soap and water and getting a start on the dishes before Ryan sulked into the kitchen.

“I can’t believe that you asked to do the dishes then got me dragged into it,” he grumbled, Trevor flicking some suds in his direction.

“Hey, it wasn’t my idea to get you involved. Blame the chef. Now quit whining and get drying,” he said, waving the scrubbing brush at Ryan as he did so.   
Ryan chuckled and grabbed a dish cloth, picking up a plate and starting to dry as Trevor kept on washing.

“Why did you want to wash up anyways? Would’ve thought you’d want to move away from your past job,”

“Well, Jack was kind enough to make us the meal. The least we can do is clean the dishes,” he replied, gaining a nod from Ryan.

“Very respectable. Plus, you’ll easily win her heart over if you keep this up. I mean, she literally called you a sweetheart in there. Everyone else gets called an asshole.”

The two slipped into silence as they continued the task, working quickly to get the job done. Once everything was cleaned, dried and stacked away, Trevor and Ryan dried their own hands and trekked into the living room. 

Geoff and Jack were curled up together, Jack’s cheeks matching the colour of the rosé in her glass whilst Geoff whispered into her ear. Gavin had tucked himself into an armchair, Switch as close to his face as it could be whilst his tongue stuck out in concentration. Alfredo, Jeremy, and Michael were nowhere to be seen.

“Well, today was great but I should probably get home,” Trevor said and watched as Ryan’s face dropped in the realisation.

“Shit, yeah, you don’t live here. How about, to thank you for the day, you let me drive you home?” and Trevor was shocked to see Ryan’s eyebrows actually wiggle.

“Sounds good,” he replied.

And so, Ryan drove Trevor home. The ride was quiet, no exciting conversation, just small talk. Trevor was staring to feel a little too tired for coherent sentences and was rather glad to be stepping out of Ryan’s car in front of his apartment building.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then, Trevor,” Ryan called out and waved to the boy.

“See you tomorrow,” and with that, Trevor slunk into the dark lobby and headed up the staircase to his floor.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos are always appreciated

The light from the bathroom was blinding as Trevor tiredly stumbled towards his sink. His reflection in the mirror was a sight for sore eyes and he grimaced as he turned on the tap. Today was his first real job with the crew. Not some desk jockey task, oh no. Geoff had decided that Trevor was going to join himself and Gavin or a business meeting with another crew.

Once the sink was sufficiently filled, Trevor grabbed a wash cloth and lathered it with some soap before attempting to scrub away the sleep that was refusing to leave. It wasn’t long before he looked mildly awake and his hair was some what neat, moving himself back into his bedroom. That was when he finally took a second glance at his clock and realised he was going to be late. 

His brain had no excuse but to wake up as he rushed to tug on a button up shirt and black jeans, stuffing his feet into his Vans as he grabbed his backpack and jacket and headed for the door. People cursed at him in the streets as he pushed past them, sprinting for the bus stop and sighing in relief as he caught it just in time. With Trevor’s luck, there weren’t any seats to allow him to be alone and so he slumped down next to an older woman with a dog that refused to stop yapping. 

When the bus halted outside Trevor’s stop, he bounded off the vehicle without hesitation and quickened his pace into the building.  
“Good morning, Trevor,” the receptionist greeted, her smile sweet but faltered as his dishevelled state.

“No time to talk,” he panted, swiping his pass on the elevator panel, “running late. Geoff is gonna kill me.” And with that, he stepped into the elevator, slumping against the back wall as the doors slid closed. He felt his heart beat fast, mostly from the rush rather than the fear of Geoff. 

The soft elevator soothed him enough to stand properly, fixing is hair into the elevator’s reflective surface, along with his shirt. Reaching the right floor, the contraption came to a stop and the doors opened, allowing Trevor to enter the penthouse. 

The living room was empty, apart from Jeremy, who didn’t even need to look up from the blade he was polishing to point to the kitchen. 

“Everyone’s in the dining room,” he mumbled and lowered his hand to resume his work. 

Trevor took a deep breath before walking himself through the kitchen and into the dining room to see the crew settled around it. Gavin was pacing back and forth, his face twisted into one of annoyance whilst Jack scolded him.

“Gavin, sit your ass down,” she grumbled, spotting Trevor out of the corner of her eye and gesturing to him. “See, I told you he’d get here eventually!” she announced, the Brit’s eyes turning to him.

“You’ve made us wait nearly twenty fucking minutes,” he growled, starting to stalk towards the boy who immediately cowered back in response. It was Geoff’s arm that shot out and grabbed the back on Gavin’s shirt, rubbing his brow with his other hand as he did so.

“Look, Gav, it doesn’t matter. He’s here now so we can go. Kovic won’t mind if we’re late anyways considering he always is,” the elder pointed out but it was the glare from Ryan, who Trevor only just noticed leaning against the wall behind Jack, that shut him up.

“Fine, whatever,” he muttered and pushed past Trevor, set on just getting on with this. 

“What’s up with him?” Trevor questioned, finally getting to enter the room properly and approach Geoff as he stood.

“He and Michael had a fight last night and they both went to bed sour. Alfredo took Michael on a job to cool him down so you two are stuck doing the same with Gavin,” Jack explained, Ryan nearing and gently starting to rub some tension from her shoulders. 

“Don’t worry about this meeting, Geoff. Trevor is gonna do great. In fact, he’d probably be a better talker than Gavin,” Ryan commented, and the King Pin just sighed.

“Let’s hope so. C’mon, Treyco, lets get this over with.”

The garage was the only thing that matched Trevor’s first thoughts about this place. It was a very big place, well it had to be to fit in all these vehicles. Upon entry, the two spotted Gavin leaning against a simple black car. Nothing fancy, at least not a make or model that Trevor could name. With the click of a button, the lights flashed, and the door unlocked but Geoff spoke before anyone could enter.

“Gavin, you’re in the back seat thanks to your scene this morning,” he stated, and Gavin didn’t even fight back, silently opening the back door and sliding inside. 

Geoff took the drivers seat, respectably, and Trevor clambered into the passenger side, settling in for what could possibly be the most awkward car journey he had ever been on. Actually, the one trip to go visit his eldest sibling with his parents was just plain horrific. This was, at the very least, tolerable. 

The only thing that Trevor couldn’t predict about his job was what the others were going to be like. He knew the crew and was happily welcomed by them, but he doubted that any enemies or even associates of the Fake AH Crew would receive a new face well. They’d ended up a warehouse near the docks, this fitting Trevor’s original idea of criminal gang hideouts. But to see it fully empty gave him the idea that it was most likely just a meet up point and nothing spectacular. 

Three other figures soon joined them in the warehouse, Trevor assuming that Kovic was the boss and the one stood in the middle. He was bulky, a square set face with nice facial hair and a look that could kill. Or at least let you know how sick of your shit his was. On his left was a rather muscular blonde, his shirt tighter than necessary. And on his right was a dark-haired man with thick rimmed glasses, a hoodie pulled over his torso and his hands tucked into the pocket. 

“Ramsey,”

“Kovic,” the two bosses greeted each other shook hands respectfully before Kovic nodded to Trevor.

“So, is this the new kid you’ve got?” he questioned, clearly eyeing the boy up and down.

“Yeah. Thought I’d bring him to give him a taste of business,” Geoff explained.

“Well, care to join me in the office as usual so we can talk things out?” Kovic proposed and Geoff nodded, following the other to a side door and they disappeared. 

The four men stood in the open space, a little unsure what to do with themselves, until the blonde began to speak and bombard Trevor with questions. He answered anything he could, being careful to not say too much as he’d been taught, soon noticing that Gavin was getting a little tense. The darker haired male, Lawrence he’d learnt, was a hacker like Gavin and started rambling away about his latest job. It sounded a little more like bragging to Trevor and it was clearly the same for Gavin too and it didn’t take much longer for the brit to swing at him.

The blonde, James, immediately grabbed at Lawrence to pull him back, whether from getting hit or throwing one himself Trevor didn’t know. But what he did know was that Gavin was out of control and if he continued then he was gonna mess up the whole thing.

Trevor carefully neared Gavin and tightly gripped his wrist, his dark eyes set in a glare at him. Gavin wasn’t having it though, just using his other arm to swing and miss again. This time, Trevor’s didn’t use his other hand to grab his wrist. Instead, his palm connected with Gavin’s cheek and a harsh slap rung across the empty air. Gavin was shocked into silence, frozen as his wide eyes looked at Trevor.

“Pick your jaw up off the floor and go wait over there until you’re calm. I won’t have you fuck this up for Geoff,” Trevor growled and let go of Gavin’s wrist.  
The trio watched as he slunk over to where instructed, his hands rubbing as where Trevor’s grip had been.

“I have never seen anyone put the golden boy in his place. Not even Ramsey,” James commented, Trevor deciding to ignore the two until Geoff and Kovic returned.

The car ride home was just as awkward as it was on the way there, but this time Gavin was sheepishly curled up in the back seat and Trevor was just shocked at his actions. Where on earth had that come from? Perhaps he’d subconsciously listened to Ryan’s previous advice? Either way, he was astounded. 

When they got back up to the penthouse, Gavin quietly slipped off to his room after apologising to both Geoff and Jack for his morning behaviour, the action leaving Geoff scratching his head in confusion.

“Since when was he sorry about anything?” Jack pondered, and Trevor could feel Ryan’s eyes burning into the back of his head as if he knew.

When the brunette tried to sneak out before dinner, his arm was swiftly caught by a smirking Ryan who tucked the two of them away in Trevor’s office to talk.

“Okay, spill the beans,” he said, perching on the chair with his hands tucked under his chin, his eyes twinkling.

“Look, I honestly have no ides what came over me. The Lawrence guy was bragging about shit, Gavin swung at him and I just got all Vagabond on him,” Trevor explained, causing a laugh to come from Ryan.

“Well, keep it up kiddo, because I have never seen Gavin like this. And I enjoy it.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are always appreciated

Over the past few days, tension was heavy in the air. Gavin had continued to be a brat, arguing at any moment he could and strongly avoiding Trevor. And Geoff had had enough. The leader had proposed that the crew all went to a shooting range where they could let off some steam and do team building. Most of the crew happily agreed, Ryan and Michael jumping at the chance to pick up a gun and not use it on a real person for once, Gavin ready to release his anger, and Jeremy wanted to teach Alfredo some of his sniping techniques. However, Jack and Trevor had politely declined.

“It’s not because I don’t want to hang with you guys, you know I love you all. But I started a painting yesterday whilst you were out on that set up and I’m really wanting to finish it,” Jack explained, brushing her hands on her paint splattered shirt. 

When she said that she started it yesterday, she technically meant that she’d started it towards the evening and had passed out in front of her easel. Geoff had been the one to find her and tuck her into bed and the under-eye bags were prominent now (even though no one dared mention it).

“And what about you, Trevor?” it was Gavin who asked the question and the newbie froze. It had been the first time in a while that Gavin had even looked in his direction, never mind spoken to him. 

“Uh, I still have a bunch of file work to finish off and I’d rather get it done than let it sit there,” he said and chuckled nervously as his hand rubbed at the back of his neck. 

There was silence, as if the opposition was debating over his words, wondering whether to subject him to the possibility of Gavin just “missing” his target and shooting Trevor instead.

“Okay,” Geoff finally replied, breaking the deadly silence and causing Trevor to expel the breath he didn’t know he was holding. 

And that was all that needed to be said to convince the others.

Once the pent house was vacated, Jack began to bustle about and move her easel and paints from her cramped craft room and into the wide-open space of the living room, which had been opened up even more thanks to Trevor moving the coffee table and couches. 

In all honesty, Trevor did have work to finish but he’d promised he’d help Jack. She begged and begged him last time, complaining that she painted Geoff too many times when he was suggested instead. And with a quick flash of puppy dog eyes, Trevor had given into the woman.

He watched her as she carefully set up her easel, balancing her paints and brushes on the couch. 

“Underwear is fine,” she mumbled, sparking Trevor to start taking off his clothes. 

“Y’know I’ve never been a model before,” Trevor admitted. Sure, he’d had plenty of models. He’d lost count of how many people he had painted. But being the one being painted was a whole other story, but he wasn’t nervous. 

Over a small while, he and Jack had become close. Most of the time, she’d tuck herself into the office with him to hide from Geoff. And it worked 99% of the time. She’d also complained about his lack of clothes after overhearing Gavin picking on him for his lack of style. Trevor blamed it on his college funds and the lack of them. But Jack was adamant on taking him shopping as a treat for working so hard. 

“I don’t get how you’ve never modelled. You’re a really good-looking guy,” Jack said, matter-of-factly. 

She’d quickly seated Trevor in the position she wanted, using an armchair for him to sit on and promising that she’d paint it t look much better in the picture.

Jack had been working furiously on regal paintings for the lot of them. She had started with Geoff, them Michael and Jeremy, as they had been the easiest to convince. Gavin took some time to come around, insistent he workout a little first so he wasn’t as scrawny.

“Ryan was the hardest,” she admitted, furrowing her brows and glancing between the canvas and Trevor. “He just wouldn’t even take his shirt off at all. In pools or at the beach it was always on,”

“Did you just do it with the shirt then?”

“Oh, no. Sometimes you have to go at things full throttle. I asked time and time again before he reluctantly agreed. Told me I wouldn’t like it, but I said I didn’t care. We did it though. Brought us closer. The evenings we spent on the painting, he’d tell me little snippets about his past. Ryan hides a lot.”

The two of them soon settled into silence. Trevor too focused on not letting his mind explode with questions whist Jack happily worked on her painting. It seemed to make time go quickly and soon enough Jack placed all her equipment down.

“The others will be back soon. Go get yourself dressed whilst I clean up,” she said with a smile then her eyes went wide. “Oh! That reminds me. After dinner tonight ill let you know all about the history of the Fakes. Because if I don’t now then Michael and Gavin will happily get it all wrong whilst drunk.”

And with a chuckle, she began to pack her things away as Trevor gathered his clothes and tucked himself into his office. 

The cramped space was becoming less cramped the more he worked on it and he had a sizable open area to stretch out a little before pulling on his clothes. A jacket had been left on the guest chair, Trevor throwing it on once dressed. He couldn’t remember whether he had been given this one by Gavin or Michael or if Jack had bought it. But either way, the brown leather looked good on him.

He flicked off the light as he left, heading straight for the kitchen to grab a glass of water. He could hear the tap running in a nearby bathroom, guessing Jack was cleaning any paint off herself before dinner. Geoff had already promised them that morning that the group would return with a Chinese takeaway and Trevor could hear his stomach grumble at just the thought. He didn’t know how hungry modelling could make him.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos are always appreciated

The others had returned that evening, all the crew members piling into the living room to grab their own meals and dish out sides as chatter and laughter filled the air. Any tension had settled, Gavin happily rambling to Trevor about their time at the shooting range, and even gave an apology for how he’d been acting. 

Jack, Geoff, and Alfredo had occupied one big couch, the lads on the other. Ryan and Trevor settled themselves on the smaller two-seater, the coffee table scattered with half empty tubs of food and glasses of drinks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Everything was going well until a drunken Gavin accused Michael of stealing his spring rolls and chaos ensued. 

Taking the moment to escape, Jack ushered Trevor trough the kitchen and on to the balcony, using some dirty glasses as an excuse but she simply dropped them off in the sink.

“C’mon, take a seat and I’ll let you know how this all started,” she said with a smile, seating herself on a plastic garden chair by a little round table with an ashtray. 

“Alright, alright. Tell me all about the Fakes,” he said as he settled himself down on a folded-out sun lounger. 

“Well, it all started when Geoff and I got together. I still can’t believe that teenage me fell in love with a punk dork like him. Anyways, it wasn’t long after we got together that Geoff got himself into some trouble with a few gangs around Los Santos and that’s what got us into the business. After a while, Geoff wanted to start doing bigger things, our own jobs even. But that was a struggle with just the two of us. We soon heard about this hacker. Some kid that was looking for easy work and Geoff took a shine to him. And that’s how we got Gavin. Michael didn’t come soon after, him stumbling home with Gavin one day after he’d protected him in a bar fight. I patched him up and then he just never left. Turns out that having a demolitionist came in handy. Then Jeremy came to us. He was a freelance sniper looking for a steady job. We gave him a couple tasks to do first to see if he was good enough and he certainly was. Ryan just turned up one day. Geoff said he was an old friend and I was too afraid to protest. Alfredo was last. We’d found him after he tried to break into Jeremy’s garage, god knows why he’d want to steal one of those monstrosities.”

“Woah, that’s crazy,” Trevor whispered, eyes wide after listening to Jack. Hearing how the crew somehow to fell into place sounded so surreal.

“And then you. Our newest recruit. Once our favourite bar tender, now our best intern,” she said and pinched his cheek. “We’re all one big family here. You’re just the newest adopted kid.”

The squeaking of the sliding door made their heads turn and see a stunned Alfredo sheepishly peeking his head out.

“Mind if I..?” he questioned, and Jack nodded, motioning for him to take her seat as she sat herself next to Trevor. “I hope you don’t mind I smoke.”

“No worries,” Trevor mumbled, watching as the flame of the lighter lit up Alfredo’s face with orange hue that complimented his eyes well.

“It’s a nervous thing,” Jack explained, pulling Trevor’s attention away from the smoke billowing into the night air. “His old crew was really tough. Not nice guys. It puts him on edge a lot.”

A sympathetic smile was shot at Alfredo but the other didn’t notice as he stared at the city around them.

“Los Santos is a tough fucking place, man,” Alfredo mumbled, giving Jack a small wave as she stood and left to return inside.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Trevor questioned, leaning forward slightly in interest.

“Well, it’s like full of shit people. And you think you know you want to do in life. But you never do. You’re always looking for something and just can’t find it,” he rambled and   
caused Trevor to furrow his brows. 

“Looking for something?”

“Yeah. I came here to chase after a girl. Thought she was the one. Now here I am fully single and in a criminal gang. Sometimes you don’t find what you’re looking for because   
you’re not looking for the right thing,”

“What are you on about?”

“Tell me, Trevor, what are you looking for?”

“Uh, I don’t know what you’re even on about man,”

Alfredo let out a small huff, putting out his cigarette in the ashtray and sitting to face Trevor. His eyes narrowed as if examining the other, Trevor only able to sit in silence and confusion.

“There’s a girl,” he mumbled suddenly, and Trevor’s face softened slightly.

“How did you…”

“I’m good with this shit. So, tell me about her,” Alfredo said, his words almost smug as he kicked himself back into the chair with his arms crossed behind his head. But it was late,   
and Trevor was too tired for this right now. And he had to somehow get home.

“Another time. I should be heading home soon,” he admitted, slapping his hands on his thighs and pushing himself to his feet.

“Okay, but I’m holding you to that, man, Alfredo called out after him.

And with that, Trevor returned indoors and left alfredo to chill on the balcony. The inside was now calm, Jack and Geoff cleaning dishes together in the kitchen. Meanwhile, Gavin   
and Michael were snuggled up on one couch, Ryan laying fully across another and fast asleep. Jeremy had cornered himself on to the free couch, eyebrows furrowed as he   
attempted a crossword puzzle to pass the time.

“Hey, I’m heading home. Tell the others ill see them tomorrow,” he whispered with a wave goodbye and let himself out of the penthouse. 

The wait for a bus was short, realising how much his body was aching from the day as he stepped into his apartment and flicked on his lights. Purring could be heard through the   
quiet as Trevor glanced to see a black mound of fur curled up on the sofa. 

“Hey, Greg,” Trevor whispered as he tiptoed towards the aged cat and reached his hand out to stroke it. It barely stirred as Trevor’s fingers threaded through the soft fur before   
abandoning it. 

He stood and turned, heading in the direction of his bedroom, but the red flashing of his landlines answering machine caught his eye. With an intrigued hum, he clicked on the   
button and then bent to grab for the mail piled up by the door.

“Hey, Trevor. It’s Barbara. I’m so sorry I didn’t catch you today. Or text. Or call. Well, I’m calling now so this kinda counts. Anyways, I heard you were busy today, but I wanted to know if you were going to Mariel’s party this weekend. I don’t know if you got invited but if not then you can be my plus one. I’d love to see you there. Text me when you can!”

The message ended and left Trevor smiling like an idiot, fingers fumbling absentmindedly with the letters in his hands. 

The Barbara Dunkelman had called him. Not even that. Shed called him and left a message. Inviting him to a party!

If Trevor could squeal, he would. But, for the sake of his neighbours and Greg the cat, he didn’t. however, he did go to bed that night happier than he had been in a long time.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos are always appreciated.  
> Also, check me out on tumlblr @welcome-to-yesterday to chat about this fic or ask questions

“Hey, this is Trevor. Sorry but I can’t answer the phone right now. Feel free to leave a message,”

“Trevvy boi, its Gav. Just calling to let you know that I fixed your laptop. It wasn’t even that bad of a virus I don’t know why you were complaining. Anyways, Geoff says he’ll catch you up about tonight’s heist tomorrow. Another than that, have a good time at your party, boi!”

The call ended, and Trevor’s head shot up from his pillow. Shit. He’d complete forgotten about the party. His bed head was a tousled mess, bags set under his eyes as he dragged   
his nearly naked form from out under his covers.

“Shit, shit, shit,” he muttered to himself as he frantically glanced around the room. Luckily, it was still light outside but the time on his alarm clock warned him that he didn’t have long before he was meeting Barbara at the party. 

That still shocked him. Well, that and the fact he’d been invited a party at all. Spending all your time either at college, working, or sleeping wasn’t exactly a perfect example of   
young adult life. 

He shook himself out of sleep, furiously rubbing at his eyes with one hand whilst his others grabbed for his discarded skinny jeans. A part of him wished that he hadn’t agreed to go on a stakeout with Jeremy last night, but he could never resist the Bostonian’s puppy dog eyes and it wasn’t even midnight when he found himself on a rooftop with the sniper for the next six hours. 

It seemed that he’d been offered a lot more night jobs and no matter how much they tired him out, it was the crew’s way of letting him do more than file work. And Trevor wasn’t complaining. That much. 

With his pants securely on, Trevor swung open his closet doors and peered at the mess of shirts inside. He spent a good minute pondering over his choice before grabbing the   
first clean shirt he saw. Plain black. Okay, that would be good enough. Not too loud, not too bold, not too plain. 

Suddenly, his eyes spied the brown leather hanging on his desk chair. The jacket, which had been confirmed as a gift from Jack, was taunting Trevor. 

“Girls like bad boys, right?” he mumbled as he slowly pulled the jacket over his framed and turning in his mirror a couple times. “Oh, whatever, I’m gonna be late.”

His arm stretched for his phone as his lanky limbs directed himself towards his shoes then front door, mumbling an apology as he tripped over Greg on the way. He took one last   
look into his apartment before closing the door and locking it, taking a deep breath and making his way out of the building. 

As he stood on the street outside Mariel’s house, Trevor realised that he hadn’t exactly been to a party in a while. In fact, the last party he remembered was his cousins 7th   
birthday when he was fifteen. Now, a princess party wasn’t he usual cup of tea but when the birthday girl demanded that he wear a tiara and attempt to fit into a dress (which he   
certainly did not fit in), Trevor flaunted it with pride. However, he doubted that would help him right now. 

Nerves kicked in a twisted his stomach, the poor boy feeling like he was going to be sick without having even seen any alcohol. Thankfully, a familiar voice called his name.

“Hey, Trevor! Over here!”

Trevor glanced over to the front door of the house to see Barbara, a wide grin on her face as she gestured for him to come inside. He couldn’t help but smile also. Everything   
about her was infectious. From her smile to her laugh to her use of bad puns. 

Once inside, the party was calmer than expected. Yes, people were drinking but most were legal, and Trevor was sure that Mariel would never have anyone in her house that would   
cause a riot. As he glanced at the faces, trying to recognise anyone, Trevor felt a wave of relief wash over him when Barbara lead him into the kitchen.

“Mariel, Trevor is here,” she announced to the brunette, who looked up from her shot with a quick look of disgust, a cough, then a smile.

“So glad you could come. Make yourself comfortable. Drinks are in here, there’s some food in the living room if need be. Oh and no smoking indoors. Even vaping. All those losers   
are out back,” she explained and gestured to the glass sliding doors that were suddenly shrouded by a cloud of vape.

“Uh, nice place you’ve got,” Trevor started, hoping that his small amount of time with the crew had strengthened his small talk.

“Yeah, my parents are visiting family in Mexico for the weekend. Perfect time for a kick back,” she explained as Barbara worked on pouring two cups of soda, Mariel’s eyes   
suddenly snapping to the small window that let her see through to the living room. “Tyler! No dancing with the lamp!” she yelled and was storming out of the kitchen, leaving the   
two behind as they laughed.

“It’s so cool that you came. Like I seriously feel we haven’t hung out in ages,” Barbara spoke as she handed the classic red solo cup to Trevor and took a sip of her own.

“Yeah, I’ve been caught with…work,” Trevor mumbled, feeling a little bad. 

The last time they’d hung out was technically their first date. Just a simple coffee shop get together to test the waters. And, well, the waters were perfect. But work had flooded   
Trevor’s life and he was so thankful for this moment of just getting to relax and let loose.

“Is that the Trevor Collins?” a voice spoke out, accompanied by the squeaking of the sliding back door. 

The two were greeted by a toothy grin, glasses framing his face and baseball cap sat snuggly on his head. James DeAngelis was a well-known name amongst many groups. People   
said he floated a lot, but he always denied it, claiming that couldn’t help being so charismatic. 

“Oh, hey, James. Missed you in class a couple days ago,” Trevor said as he was pulled into a bro hug, feeling the weight of the vape as it was patted against his back before he was   
let go.

“Yeah, would’ve warned you about a crap class but you still haven’t given me your number,” he pestered, fingers poking and tickling at Trevor. “Anyway, I’m liking how you’re   
looking. Leather is a fantastic style for you. Letting the ladies know you’re a bad boy,” he teased with a wink and Trevor swatted at him.

“Wait, you two know each other?” Barbara questioned and caught the attention of the joking boys. 

“Yeah, we have art class together. Trevor is like the best painter I’ve ever seen. Better than that Mona Lisa dude,” he scoffed, and Trevor furrowed his brows.

“The Mona Lisa wasn’t a painter. God, Mr Risinger would be so unimpressed by your right now,” Trevor mumbled, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks as he noticed the coy little   
smile Barbara was giving him.

“You know fully well that Jon is always unimpressed by me. Anyways, I’d better leave you two love birds alone because it took me this long to realise I’m crashing a two-person   
party,” James said grabbing any bottle of alcohol he could before slipping between Barbara and Trevor into the hallway of the house.

Silence filled the air as Trevor glared down into his soda, as if blaming the drink for whatever had just happened.

“I didn’t know you were a painter,” is all Barbara says to coax Trevor into saying something, anything.

“Yeah, I don’t exactly yell it from the roof tops,” he mumbles sheepishly and is inwardly cursing himself. Why can’t he just be cool and confident like he is normally. He spends   
almost all his time dealing with known criminals for gods sake. And here he is, getting all shy because of a girl.

“Well, you’ll be the world’s first lawyer artist. And I bet you’d be the best in the business.”

Her elbow nudges his and Trevor brings himself to finally look up. She has the most genuine smile on her face, her blue eyes drawing him in and allowing his sour look to break   
into something nicer.

“Thanks,” he says simply and lets the rest of the night go from there.

Neither of them drank much, just enjoying chatting with themselves and others, laughing at the idiocy of some people and soon parting ways when Trevor admits he has to leave.   
Barbara insists on giving him a ride home, telling him that she’d love to hang out again and Trevor agrees. 

His apartment was just how he left it and Trevor’s clothes soon find themselves in a pile on the floor as he crawls back into bed. Perhaps he’d have to go to parties more often if   
they were as good as this one.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, uh, hi  
> It's been a while  
> I ended up having to focus on my college work to actually get the best grades I could. Then summer happened and I spent the entirity of summer finding a job. Then I was focused on my job.   
> So I'm pretty sorry about how long it's been but I didn't ever want to just abandon this.   
> I still love Achievement Hunter so very much and I finally got that spark of inspiration to pick this back up. I don't know how often this will be updated or when but I'll try to not leave a 10 month gap this time.

Trevor Collins made a lot of mistakes in his life. The first big mistake he ever remembered making was at the glorious age of five years old. He bet his best friend at the time that he could hold his breath in the pool longer than they could. Turns out that accidentally breathing in mouthfuls of water isn’t good for your lungs.   
Then big mistake number two was at age thirteen. It’s that age where boys start seeing girls as more than an annoyance and he had his sights on one Jenny Gildenhall. She was the prettiest girl in his grade and when she bumped into him at the mall on saturday, Trevor took his chance. He ending up tripping and spilling his milkshake all down the girl. And well, Jenny never spoke to him after that.   
And after everything Trevor had deemed regrettable in his life, letting Gavin add him to their fucking group chat was the worst. Who on earth needed to question their friends about whether ketchup was a smoothie at 3am?

GavinoFree: but listen, Ryan. If tomato is a fruit that surely that makes ketchup a smoothie!

Vagabond: No, it does not. Ketchup is a sauce used as a condiment. Not a smoothie. 

Rimmy Tim: is mayonnaise just an egg smoothie?

The pure insanity of the chat was driving Trevor crazy. And it didn’t matter how often he muted the chat or silenced his phone, all those notifications would still pop up. He’d ended up throwing his phone into his desk drawer for now as he worked on refining their latest heist plan. It was a tricky one where one wrong move could kill them all. Which is why he was purposefully benching Gavin for the job. 

Ding.

A text. 

Gavvy: oi, Treyco. Get in the chat m8 

Trevor glared down at his phone and took one last look at his precious work. Damn you Gavin Free. He unlocked his phone and opened the app, giving it a moment for all the messages to pop through and then read through anything relevant. 

Rimmy Tim: yo, did anyone see Trevor last night?

GavinoFree: he went to a college party. I wanted to crash but Ryan said no 

MogarRulez: yeah, no shit he said no. no one wants you to crash a party 

Alfredo Sauce: I saw him at the party. With some cute blonde

Trevor sighed as his hand dragged down the side of his face. So this is why Gavin wanted him. To spill about Barbara.

Treyco: can we not discuss my college life in our work chat? This is supposed to be for emergencies

GavinoFree: THIS IS AN EMERGENCY 

MogarRulez: it really isn't….but you gotta tell us who this girl is 

Alfredo Sauce: her name’s Barbara Dunkelman. They go to college together. Trevor really needs to turn his facebook to private 

Trevor shot to his computer, glancing angrily between his phone and the screen. Those sneaky bastards. 

Treyco: okay now you know her name. Can we drop this? 

GavinoFree: we’ll drop this when I drop dead

MogarRulez: i can make that happen for you, Trevor

Trevor turned off the app and stood to his feet, stepping from his office. The penthouse was empty as far as he was aware. Michael and Gavin had been sent to a warehouse for a quick check up on goods; Jeremy and Alfredo were out for lunch; and Geoff and Jack had gone shopping for more house plants. 

“Barbara, huh?” came the gruff voice of Ryan, Trevor glancing away from the living room he was eyeing to see him stood in the kitchen, sipping a diet coke.   
“Yeah..she’s just a friend,” Trevor takes a step towards Ryan, who lets him through to the kitchen. Probably the most civilised guy in the crew.   
“I don’t believe that for one second. But it’s safe with me.”  
Trevor opens the cupboard and grabs for a bag of chips, itching at his collar bone where his slightly open shirt was revealing the skin.   
“Okay, maybe we want to be more than friends. But it’s not going to happen with those idiots practically stalking me!” he groans and stuffs the chips into his mouth, hoping to drown his frustration and sadness within the salty potato.   
“I’ll get them to stay off your back. Every guy needs their privacy,” Ryan gives a shrug and places his empty can on the side for Jack to later put into recycling, his hands moving to the pockets of his leather jacket.   
But, come to think about it, Ryan always was a private guy. Hell, Trevor knew nothing about him out of the crew. Did anyone know anything about the man under the skull mask?

“Do you have a lady?” Trevor asks gently, unsure as to whether he was overstepping the boundary. Ryan’s chuckle assured him that it was okay, though he shook his head softly.  
“I don’t do relationships. Too complicated for my liking,” he mutters and strides out of the kitchen, leaving Trevor to wonder what on earth that could mean.


End file.
